Petaluma: 11-year-old girl hit by van listed in fair condition

Bay City News Service

Posted:
12/20/2012 05:53:31 PM PST

PETALUMA -- An 11-year-old girl who was struck by a van outside McKinley Elementary School in Petaluma on Tuesday remains hospitalized but is now in fair condition, a hospital spokeswoman said Thursday.

Petaluma police Lt. Tim Lyons said surgery scheduled Thursday on the girl's arm and leg was postponed because her blood pressure was low.

Mercy and another girl ran onto Ellis Street after school around 2:50 p.m., Lyons said. A white Ford van was approaching as the girls entered the street.

The other girl stopped short and missed the van, but Mercy ran into the side of the vehicle and was run over, Lyons said. She was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital before being transferred to Children's Hospital.

The driver of the van, Zachary Bautista, 34, of Cotati, stopped at the scene, and there is no indication he was at fault, Lyons said.

The girls were not in a crosswalk at the time of the accident, Lyons said.

Petaluma police are collecting money, food, gifts and toys at the police station for the Martinez family through Sunday.

There are three other children ages 14, 8 and 5 in the family, and their mother has not worked since Tuesday because she has been at the hospital, Lyons said.